Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: I'm Eric.
Yasmine: And I'm Yasmine!
Eric: Expressions Using Words Related To The Head. In this lesson, you'll learn Expressions Using Words Related To The Head.
Eric: These are very old expressions that are still used nowadays, but when they are translated literally, they don't make a lot of sense, which can be confusing for French learners sometimes.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
Eric: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Yasmine: se creuser la tête
Yasmine: quand les poules auront des dents
Yasmine: les doigts dans le nez
Yasmine: jeter un coup d'oeil
Eric: Yasmine, what's our first expression?
Yasmine: se creuser la tête
Eric: literally meaning "dig one's head." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "rack one's brains."
Yasmine: [SLOW] se creuser la tête [NORMAL] se creuser la tête
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: se creuser la tête
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you think really hard about something to try to find an answer.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Il s'est creusé la tête pendant longtemps mais n'a pas trouvé la réponse. [SLOW] Il s'est creusé la tête pendant longtemps mais n'a pas trouvé la réponse.
Eric: "He racked his brain for a long time but didn't find the answer."
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Il s'est creusé la tête pendant longtemps mais n'a pas trouvé la réponse.
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Yasmine: quand les poules auront des dents
Eric: literally meaning "when hens will have teeth." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "when pigs fly."
Yasmine: [SLOW] quand les poules auront des dents [NORMAL] quand les poules auront des dents
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: quand les poules auront des dents
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to assure sarcastically that something will never happen.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu veux avoir des enfants à quel âge? B: Quand les poules auront des dents! [SLOW] A: Tu veux avoir des enfants à quel âge? B: Quand les poules auront des dents!
Eric: "A: What age do you want to have kids? B: When pigs fly!"
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu veux avoir des enfants à quel âge? B: Quand les poules auront des dents!
Eric: Okay, what's our next expression?
Yasmine: les doigts dans le nez
Eric: literally meaning "fingers in the nose." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "piece of cake."
Yasmine: [SLOW] les doigts dans le nez [NORMAL] les doigts dans le nez
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: les doigts dans le nez
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you are confident about something being extremely easy, so easy that you could do it with only one hand while the other has its fingers in the nose.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu sais coudre? B: Les doigts dans le nez! [SLOW] A: Tu sais coudre? B: Les doigts dans le nez!
Eric: "A: Do you know how to sew? B: Piece of cake!"
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu sais coudre? B: Les doigts dans le nez!
Eric: Okay, what's the last expression?
Yasmine: jeter un coup d'oeil
Eric: literally meaning "throw a shot of the eye." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "to take a quick look."
Yasmine: [SLOW] jeter un coup d'oeil [NORMAL] jeter un coup d'oeil
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: jeter un coup d'oeil
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to check or take a look at something quickly.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Je ne trouve pas ma bouteille d'eau, je vais jeter un coup d'oeil dans le frigo pour voir si elle y est. [SLOW] Je ne trouve pas ma bouteille d'eau, je vais jeter un coup d'oeil dans le frigo pour voir si elle y est.
Eric: "I can't find my bottle of water. I will take a quick look in the fridge to see if it is there."
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Je ne trouve pas ma bouteille d'eau, je vais jeter un coup d'oeil dans le frigo pour voir si elle y est.
QUIZ
Eric: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I will describe four situations, and you will choose the right expression to use in your reply. Are you ready?
Eric: You want to make clear that something is never going to happen.
Yasmine: quand les poules auront des dents
Eric: "when pigs fly"
Eric: You are confronted by a very difficult problem to solve.
Yasmine: se creuser la tête
Eric: "rack one's brains"
Eric: You quickly need to check something.
Yasmine: jeter un coup d'oeil
Eric: "to take a quick look"
Eric: You find something extremely easy.
Yasmine: les doigts dans le nez
Eric: "piece of cake"

Outro
Eric: There you have it; you have mastered four French Slang Expressions! Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Yasmine: Au revoir!

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